The white-capped leader fixed Satoru with a venomous stare, then flicked his eyes to Ayaka, then back.
"You're Kobayashi Satoru?" he asked again.
Before Satoru could reply, a buzz-cut goon behind him sneered, "I thought the 'Kobayashi Satoru' Shono talked about was some monster. Look at him today—just average."
Ayaka rolled her half-lidded eyes so hard they nearly fell out. Open your blind dog eyes! If this face is "average," what does that make you—your dad's leftover change?
She swallowed the curse. Satoru beat her to it.
He smiled, soft and polite. "Who the fuck are you?"
The entire white-cap squad recoiled in perfect sync.
The leader's eyes narrowed to slits. "Don't act like you don't know me."
"Sorry," Satoru said, scratching his head with an innocent chuckle. "Guess your reputation isn't as massive as you think."
Creak creak—Shono's teeth ground loud enough to hear. "I. Am. Ka. Ta. Gi. Sho. No."
Kataigi Shono?
Satoru's ears perked. Oh. That guy.
"Long-time admirer," Satoru said smoothly. He'd heard the name once… then forgotten it because every novel MC hides under bangs—who actually remembers side characters?
"You heard it from Akane, right?" Shono's voice dropped, dangerous.
"…You need something?" Satoru sidestepped neatly.
"You know exactly what you did!" Shono bared his teeth. "Still pretending?!"
"Ohhh, right," Satoru nodded generously, waving a hand. "No need to thank me."
He'd only trashed Higashi a few times and ruined the guy's whole script—basic protagonist duties.
"Thank?!" Shono's face twisted. This bastard knows exactly what he's saying!
He barely resisted punching that pale, pretty face and slid his gaze to Ayaka instead.
Long-legged senpai, kendo vice-captain—Shono had done his homework. White Hill's kendo club was tournament royalty; normal people couldn't even apply. Yet intel said Satoru was a member. Reality: two laps and the guy was half-dead. No way he passed tryouts fairly.
Conclusion reached in 0.5 seconds: backdoor entrance. Whose connection? Heh. Look who's sitting right beside him looking all protective. Plus, Shono was a veteran baseball player—he knew the rules. Non-rookies never showed up for morning PT. Ayaka had never been seen running before dawn. Now she was here because of Satoru—obvious!
Hooked the vice-captain and still flirting with Akane… worst part: Akane actually fell for this two-timing scum!
Time to expose him.
Shono smirked slyly. "Ayaka-senpai."
"Hm?"
"You probably don't know what this guy's been doing behind your back, right?"
Ayaka looked bored. "What?"
Old opinion: Shono was kinda cute—below Masafumi, light-years behind this one, she thought.
Shono grinned like he was about to drop the juiciest scandal: "Your boyfriend's also dating our club manager!"
"WHAT!" Ayaka's pupils actually shook.
Fujiwara Misaki misunderstanding? Fine, whatever, joke. But now even this guy thinks they're a couple?! Outsiders shipping her with this hottie?! Perfect, guhehe~~
Shono's lips curled higher—any second now she'd slap the bastard.
Instead, Ayaka slowly raised her pale wrist… then flicked her black hair with icy elegance.
"None of your fucking business?"
Shono: ?
"Your house on the seaside or something? Got a wide-ass yard to mind everyone's shit?" Ayaka drawled. "Are we close? Since when do you get to lecture me?"
Shono: ??
"Or do you like your manager, couldn't seal the deal because you suck, and now you're mad enough to start a fight?"
"Ayaka-senpai…" Satoru opened his mouth—technically Shono was Akane's boyfriend, feelings were normal—but Shono's next line killed any sympathy.
"I-I do not! I just hate two-timers who toy with girls' feelings!! Why… why are you looking at me like that?!"
Because Satoru was staring at him like he was the dumbest creature alive. In Shono's head Akane had been stolen, yet this guy wouldn't even claim her publicly? Scared of baseball club rules or something?
"Hah?" Ayaka's lazy eyes narrowed to knives. "Brat, senpai's giving you a free lesson today…"
"W-What?"
"Some guys can't get one girlfriend. Some get two at once." She flashed a lazy, venomous smile. "If you've got no game, don't hate the player—hate your skill issue."
Direct heart stab. The public humiliation hurt more than the words—Shono's whole body shook.
"You bitch—!" He raised his fist.
"Starting a fight right in front of the kendo club?" Ayaka murmured. "Bold…"
The next instant—
Two legs shot out horizontally, scissor-kick straight to Shono's chest.
He flew backward, landing hard on his ass.
The kicker lost balance too—double-leg takedown always costs posture.
But he flipped up like a carp, landing in a perfect stance.
"Kobayashi-senpai, you okay!?" Masafumi beamed, eyes sparkling.
…